By MITCH TRAPHAGEN
mitch@observernews.net
VALRICO — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office held an open house for the grand opening of their newest community office in the Bloomingdale community on August 5. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held by the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce. The HCSO currently has community stations throughout the county, including five in District 4, which encompasses South Hillsborough.
“We have moved from Bell Shoals Road to this location,” said HCSO Major Ronald Hartley. “Economics were involved — we got more space for less money. We were fortunate enough to find this office and get it at a reasonable price. Our building has changed but our commitment to Bloomingdale remains the same. This was one of the first communities to have a community resource deputy.”
The community resource deputy for the new station is Master Deputy Curtis Warren. Warren replaces recently retired CRD Peter Maurer, who held the position for 16 years.
The community office will not only provide the public with more convenient access to law enforcement, it will also save time and fuel costs when officers no longer have to drive 45 minutes to the district headquarters in Ruskin. District 4, at 430 square miles, is geographically the largest of the HCSO’s four districts and serves a population of approximately 238,000 people.
“And we have the lowest crime rate in the county,” Hartley added.
The new office is located just a few blocks off Bloomingdale Avenue at 3622 Erindale Drive. The change in locale is not only economical for the HCSO, it also provides additional space needed to serve the rapidly growing community.
“Here, the detectives can have their own offices,” Hartley said. “We will have two detectives in this office. It is head and shoulders above what we had before.”
The telephone number for the new office is 813-635-8040. For more information about the HCSO, visit www.hcso.tampa.fl.us.
